My young friend Dennis has honoured me with a request to write a
preface to his book. I think a man can best write a preface to his own
book, provided he knows it is good. Also if he knows it is bad.

The Sentimental Bloke, while running through the Bulletin,
brightened up many dark days for me. He is more perfect than any
alleged "larrikin" or Bottle-O character I have ever attempted to
sketch, not even excepting my own beloved Benno. Take the first
poem for instance, where the Sentimental Bloke gets the hump. How
many men, in how many different parts of the world -- and of how
many different languages -- have had the same feeling -- the longing
for something better -- to be something better?

The exquisite humour of The Sentimental Bloke speaks for itself;
but there's a danger that its brilliance may obscure the rest, especially
for minds, of all stations, that, apart from sport and racing, are totally
devoted to boiling

"The cabbitch storks or somethink"

in this social "pickle found-ery" of ours.

Doreen stands for all good women, whether down in the smothering
alleys or up in the frozen heights.

And so, having introduced the little woman (they all seem 'little"
women), I "dips me lid" -- and stand aside.